March 22, 2011

You've no doubt made, eaten, or at least seen roasted chickpeas at one point in your life. If you're anything like me, you found them so satisfying and noshable that you've made, eaten, and seen them oodles of times. I've gone the savory route, flavoring them with various herbs and spices (rosemary, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, cumin, and coriander have all made an appearance) and I've gone the not-so-savory route (cinnamon,clearly, as well as maple syrup and honey). I don't think you can go wrong pairing a taste you enjoy with these crunchy, chewy, oh-so-pleasing legumes.

My latest batch had a special touch--Olivari® Mediterranean Olive Oil, which just hit store shelves in August and is already gaining attention. Most recently, it won Product of the Year by the Consumer Survey for Product Innovation. What makes it innovative, you ask? -Its exclusive pop-up pour spout makes for easy and even pouring, drizzling, and finishing.
-It’s carefully blended to deliver a subtle, fruity aroma and fresh flavor.
-Truly Mediterranean, Olivari® premium oils are sourced straight from Greece, Italy, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey.

This stuff really does add a lot to a dish--it can only be described as a tad fruity and oh-so-richly smooth. I'm someone who usually uses the less expensive oils for applications like this, and the difference is obvious and astronomical.

I could go on. However, doing that seriously limits my ability to stuff handfuls of roasted chickpeas into my mouth. And that's what I do. I sit with a bowl o' beans, and my hand automatically feeds my face until said bowl is empty. See? Robot.

So tell me, dear readers (yes, that's a shout-out to you, Lorraine!), how do you like your poultrypeas?

Preheat oven to 400F.
Drain the can of garbanzo beans in a strainer and rinse thoroughly with water to clean off the beans. Lay a paper towel on a baking sheet and spread the beans atop it. Use another paper towel to gently press and absorb the water on the beans. Roll the beans around with the paper towel to also remove the thin skin from any of the beans. Discard the skins and the paper towels.
Drizzle the olive oil over the beans and use your hands or a spatula to toss around and coat. Sprinkle the beans with salt and flavorings. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the beans are a deep golden brown and crunchy.

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comments:

Ah! I couldn't work out the robot reference at first :) I've eaten roasted chickpeas but never bothered to make my own. Now I'm wondering why ever not? We used to buy steamed chickpeas from the roadside vendors in Malaysia. These were flavoured with dried red chillies and salt, and served in a little newspaper cone.

haha thankyou for the shoutout Grace! These chickpeas look fantastic and I like the idea of that pouring spout. I dislike having to clean up after my husband let alone a bottle of olive oil that leaves a ring! :P

When we were kids, we use to go to Katz's on Delancy St. and scoop bowls of chick peas out of huge barrels. My sister and I always tried to crack them with our teeth. Impossible until they are of course cooked.

My grandmother roasted them and ground them up and used them like flour. (boy I wish I had that recipe:)

Your roasted chick peas sound amazing, Grace.

Thank you so much for sharing and once again sparking a cherished memory...

I love chickpeas! I can eat a can at a time. How is it that I have never had or even seen roasted chick peas? I am making these tomorrow. I want to make them now but I know my husband would think I completely lost my mind!

I actually don't like chickpeas all that much EXCEPT if they're roasted. My fave mexican place in SF puts out a little dish of spicy, salty crunchy roasted chickpeas as a little nibble...I could eat them by the cartload.

I am a roasted chick pea lover too! I toss mine with olive oil and some seasonings and roast away! So good so easy! Now after that last post I was sure you would have put a pic of yourself here to we could all see if we pictured you correctly. But then again, mystery is fun too! Have a great day!

I've seen these everywhere with raves of how roasting transforms the humble chickpea into something amazing...yet I haven't tried even something so simple and stunning. Does this say something about me? Hehe I think this is the straw that will break my unexplainable resistance. Thanks for the push!

yes I've seen oodles of recipes for various versions of roasted chickpeas and for the life of me, I can't figure out why I haven't tried tried them myself! Thanks for the reminder. I actually have a can in my cupboard. Maybe this weekend will be the magically time for to finally try roasted chickpeas :)